LIVERMORE FALLS – Cora E. Crouse Briggs, 86, passed quietly at her home on March 9, 2019, in order to be with her beloved husband, Loren.
She was born Feb. 20 1933, in Crouseville, the sixth child of Marshall and Albina Flewelling Crouse. She attended schools in Crouseville, Kents Hill, Presque Isle, and Auburn, Maine and Durham, N.H., graduating third in her class from Edward Little High School in Auburn in 1950.
She attended Brandeis University in Waltham, Mass. and Farmington State Teachers College prior to her marriage in Dixfield on Dec. 25, 1952, to Loren T. Briggs of Dixfield. They resided there until moving to Livermore Falls in 1957.
In 1959 she became a correspondent for the Lewiston Daily Sun and served as editor of the Livermore Falls Advertiser from 1970-1988, dedicating over 50 years to reporting the local news for the two papers. During that time she and Loren raised five children in their Moose Hill Road home.
She was very active in First Baptist Church, publishing the newsletter for 14 years, serving on most boards and committees at various times, including the American Baptist Women and keeping the membership roll. Cora and her loyal crew of volunteers put on many rummage sales to benefit the American Baptist Women. She was a founding member of the former Community Information Resources Council which presented annual programs for senior citizens in conjunction with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension.
In addition she was a long-time member and officer of the Moose Hill/East Livermore Extension as well as a member of the New Norland Grange, the Washburn-Norlands Foundation, the Livermore/Livermore Falls Historical Society, and the Livermore Falls-Jay Senior citizens.
In her spare time, Cora enjoyed candle-pin bowling both with her family and as part of a league. She loved cats and always shared her home with at least one. Cora was also an avid “treasurer hunter” which resulted in a collection of over 400 decorative teapots.
Surviving are two daughters, M. Elaine Briggs of Wayne and Marsha Briggs of Livermore Falls and her son, Gregory Giggie II of Orono; one son, Thomas and his wife Maureen, and sons Michael and Cory; and a sister, Miriam Buchanan of Farmington.
She was predeceased by her husband, Loren in 2006; two sons, Phillip in 1994 and Michael in 1986; a granddaughter, Autum Lee Cox in 1989; a sister, Jessie Holman, and three brothers, Arthur, Fred and Ivan Crouse.
A memorial service will be held at First Baptist Church in Livermore Falls on Saturday, March 16, at 11 a.m. with a potluck meal and fellowship in the vestry from noon to 3 p.m. You are invited to leave a kind word or a memory on her memorial wall at www.wilesrc.com. Cremation care has been provided by the Wiles Remembrance Center 308 Franklin Rd. (Rte. 133) Jay.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the:
Moose Hill Cemetery
Association
96 Record Rd.
Livermore Falls, ME 04254
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